It’s not bad enough that folks had their homes destroyed or damaged by Hurricane Sandy. Now, say authorities, they have to worry about cyber criminals trying to steal what they have left.

It used to be easier in the old days when, after a storm hit and a looter tried to steal your TV, you just shot him.

But it’s so much more difficult now that people can loot all your assets after a storm through cyber crime by just getting hold of your personal information.

It’s hard to shoot — or even prosecute — someone you can’t see.

Kase Chong, head of Scambook.com, says these crimes mimic all the ones you’ve seen throughout the years — someone will give you money to rebuild your home, or they claim you’ve won a prize, and all you have to do is give them vital financial information.

A natural disaster like Hurricane Sandy makes things easier for the criminals. “People are more susceptible. They are looking for a way out,” Chong told me. “You don’t make the best decisions when you are desperate for a solution.”

The same thing happened during past natural disasters, says Chong.

Even the Social Security Administration is concerned.

It was calling around last week asking reporters to warn people not to give out their Social Security numbers to callers claiming to be from their office — or to anyone else for that matter.

The criminals’ spiel usually is that the Social Security numbers were somehow lost during the storm.

The Social Security Administration says to call 1-800-772-1213 if you think you’ve been scammed or if someone attempts to do so.

***

Pretty soon I’m going to give the Republicans a call and offer them a way out of this fiscal cliff thing.

I don’t know about you, but all these clever ways of describing an unnatural disaster caused by our elected officials are beginning to get on my nerves.

Maybe if the Republicans can come up with a plan they will remain a viable political party. Or they can keep nominating rich guys with good teeth and bad ideas and become the Republi-can’t Party.

With the economy as bad as it is, the Republicans should have done a lot better in the last election.

***

Whenever things are bad, people look for little signs of hope.

Like beer sales.

After three straight years of guzzling less beer, Americans bought more suds in the first half of 2012 — in fact, 1.9 percent more barrels of beer.

Some see it as a sign of economic recovery, but maybe it was just the fact that the weather was hotter this year than normal and people were thirstier, and they bought more of every beverage — including beer.

Or perhaps people felt like getting drunker so they could forget about their troubles.

Golf is another thing people look at for signs of economic vitality.

According to the Professional Golfers Association, golfers played 0.5 percent more rounds this August compared with the same month last year. In New York, the increase was a stunning 9.4 percent. (Was a new course or two built somewhere?)

Is that a sign that the economy is getting better?

Maybe, but New York is one of only 26 states to report an increase in golf rounds. And it could have simply been the same nice (but extremely hot) New York weather that caused people to drink more beer.

But people aren’t dining out at restaurants as much. The NPD Group, which tracks such things, said, “Consumers pulled back from visits to midscale and casual dining restaurants in the April, May, June quarter, continuing a four-year streak of visit losses.”

They are going more to fast-food joints, the eateries of choice when the family budget is pinched.

***

The phrase “fat cats” isn’t just an expression. Cats really are fat in this country — as apparently are dogs and all other pets.

The Association for Pet Obesity Prevention — who even knew such a group existed? — reported recently that 54 percent of cats and dogs in the US are considered overweight or obese.

Why is that? TV.

No, our cats and dogs aren’t watching TV — but their owners are, and that is resulting in pets not getting enough exercise. And that is resulting in their weight gain.

There is a saying that dog owners tend to look like their pets. So if yours looks fat, you probably do, too. Both of you should cut out the 64-ounce sodas.

(Our 1-year-old dog, Daisy, was looking a little fat a couple of weeks ago. We took care of that by getting her hair cut. Now I’m thinking of getting mine cut — and hoping for the same slimming effect.)

If you have any financial questions you’d like Dear John to answer, drop me a note at John.Crudele@nypost.com or put it in the mail to John Crudele, 10th Floor, 1211 Sixth Ave., NY, NY 10036.